WE ARE A DISABLED COUPLE BOTH UNDER 65, AND THEREFORE NOT ABLE TO GET SUPPLEMENTAL COVERAGE IN OUR STATE. WHILE SEEKING LESS EXPENSIVE PART D COVERAGE FOR MYSELF AND NEW COVERAGE FOR MY HUSBAND, WE WERE OFFERED AARP MEDICARE TOTAL CARE PLAN WHICH WE FOUND OUT TOO LATE WAS AN ADVANTAGE PLAN THAT IS NOT ACCEPTED BY MOST DOCTORS. IT IS JUNE AND WE STILL HAVE NOT FOUND A PRIMARY DOCTOR OR ANY SPECIALISTS IN OUR AREA. I DID NOT KNOW THAT I ALSO HAD TO PAY DEDUCTIBLE FOR PART D UNDER THIS PLAN SO I HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO GET MY MEDICATIONS SINCE THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. IT SHOULD BE AGAINST THE LAW FOR A PLAN TO BE IN PLACE IF THERE ARE NO OR NOT ENOUGH MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AVAILABLE. WHO DO WE TURN TO UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES? THE BOOKLETS HAVE MANY NAMES, BUT ALL UNDER ONE ADDRESS AND THESE ARE USUALLY URGENT CARE PLACES THAT DO NOT SERVE AS PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS. SAME THING WITH THE DENTISTS. I AM SO SORRY WE ENROLLED! I FEEL THEY SHOULD MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR CASES SUCH AS OURS!
I feel badly for you; AARP has partnered with some organizations to pedal benefits, some of which are fairly decent (the Delta Dental Plan) but others.... well, who knows? The health insurance suppliers do make a nuisance of themselves with their repetitive solicitations.
But that doesn't help you.
I assume you either saw an ad in one of the AARP magazines or its newsletter. So turn back to AARP and raise your dissatisfaction with them; let them stand up for the organizations with which they partner. If they sluff you off, write letters, or even contact a congressman or senator, or local newspaper. At least you can give them enough bad publicity that someone may take notice and do something to help you.
They'll probably try to sluff you off by telling you to contact the plan administrators, or something like that. So make it clear that you feel this plan was not what you thought it was, that you will never again purchase anything through AARP.
In the meantime, contact Medicare and see if there's any way you can switch plans, which typically are selected on an annual basis. But there might be some extraordinary conditions that could allow you to get out of yours, or at least get some help. In that context, also ask AARP if it offers help in dealing with insurers with which it partners.
I wish I could offer some really good suggestions, but I've never deal with a situation like this.
You have to be proactive to get your own care addressed, this will probably drive you to distraction but you are the only ones that can do it. Keep going up the ladder with supervisors until someone helps you.
Oh yea, be sure and send Obama a thank you card, this mess is his doing. What a great legacy, eh?
I hope things work out for you for the best. Keep us posted.